Summer Nationals to make Fairbury stop

Thursday

Jun 20, 2013 at 12:20 AMJun 20, 2013 at 12:25 AM

Rocky Ragusa's Speed Week column

Rocky Ragusa

This is the week many race fans have been waiting for as Fairbury American Legion Speedway will play host to the Summer National “Hell Tour 2013” this weekend. The UMP Late Models will feature 50 laps and $10,000 going to the winner. Brandon Sheppard leads the series points over Shannon Babb, Bobby Pierce, Kevin Weaver, Randy Korte and Ryan Unzicker. Scott Bull, Daren Friedman, Derek Chandler, Eric Smith and Joe Harlan are among the Fairbury favorites who should contend for the checkered flag. Defending series champion and race winner Brian Shirley will not be defending his crown. Shirley will be serving as crew chief to Tim Lance. Shirley built Lance a car and has been helping with various track setups. The UMP Dirt Car Summit Racing Modified Nationals will have a $1,200 payday in the 30-lap event. Current point leader Devin Gilpin has racked up 19 wins in this young season. Trailing Gilpin in points are Jeff Leka, Ray Bollinger, Chad Kinder and Nick Allen. Jeff Curl leads the area contingent along with Lance Dehm, Jim Farris, Jeb Friedman, Justin Delong and Jay Ledford. Defending series champion Kenny Wallace will be taking the weekend off to spend time with his family. UMP Sportsman and UMP Street Stocks will also be in competition. Gate admission is $25 for adults and children under 12 are free with a paying adult. The top 7 rows on the backstretch are reserved seating. Reserved camping is also available for $25. The Third Street (pits only) and Second Street gates will open at 9 a.m. The First Street gate opens at noon. Blankets will be allowed to be placed on seats at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Hot laps begin at 5:50 p.m. with qualifying at 6:30 and racing will follow. A sizeable field of 21 UMP Late Models was on hand for the 17th annual Bob and Pappy Allen Memorial race Saturday at Fairbury American Legion Speedway. The winner was someone familiar with coming out on top in one of the track’s special features of the season. Daren Friedman used a late race caution and road the high side of the track to earn his third Allen Memorial trophy. It was also the second feature of the weekend for Friedman, who won Friday night at Farmer City. Torin Mettille had a career-best second-place finish in the feature. After blowing his primary motor four races into the season, Mettille went back to last year’s motor and found success. Mettille, a grandson of Dick Turner, legendary driver from the 1960s and ’70s, has a tremendous desire to excel in racing and a win is just around the corner. Defending track champion Scott Bull leads Derek Chandler by one point in the late model point standings. A mere 19 points separates the top five drivers. After being caught up in a racing accident at Kankakee County Speedway, Jeff Curl and his team rushed home to make repairs for Fairbury. The front end of the modified had to be rebuilt and the team burned the midnight oil. Before the races were started, all the modified drivers came out on the track in their cars. Curl, carrying the American flag as the national anthem was played, lead the drivers in a tribute to Gary Cook Jr. in a missing man formation. Street stock driver Terry Miller, who normally drives the #9, changed his car number to #64 in tribute to Gary Cook Jr. Two of the young guns in the modified class caught the attention of the fans and drivers alike. Dan Rork has posted several top 10 finishes at Kankakee and Fairbury. He had a career-best fifth-place run at FALS. Rick Thomas won the street stock feature and tied stepson Joel Funk for all time feature wins at 51. “ I really wanted to get ahead of Joel and Joel really wants to stay ahead of me,” said Thomas, who is the current street stock points leader. “We are tied and Joel is out of luck. Roger Long is next.” Jimmy Dehm also claimed his second win of the weekend by taking the sportsman feature. Dehm held off a late race bid from Tim Bohm and Lake Nichoalds for the win. Nichoalds will return to crew chief this week as Tyler Roth will return to drive the #20R.Peoria Speedway After the rain in April caused the track to be submerged in water and causing significant damage, the Peoria Speedway will reopen on June 24 for its Summer National race. The UMP Late Model drivers will battle for $5,000. UMP Modifieds will have a $1,000-to-win and Hornet drivers will have a $250-to-win special. Pits open at 3 p.m., grandstands at 5, hot laps at 6, followed by qualifying and racing.Farmer City Raceway Daren Friedman (late model), Lance Dehm (modified) and Jimmy Dehm (sportsman) were among last Friday night’s winners. A full show is on tap at the Farmer City Raceway. Hot laps start at 6:30 p.m., qualifying is at 7 and racing will follow.Kankakee County Speedway Rusty Schlenk (late model), Nick Allen (modified) and Darrin Kohler (street stock) scored feature wins last Friday night. This week the late models will have the night off. The Pro Late Model division has a unique format as the winner will receive $800 and the second place finisher gets $1,000. Racing will start at 7:30 p.m.Lincoln Speedway Matt Taylor (late model) and Brian Divley (modified) led a parade of winners last Friday at Lincoln Speedway. This Friday will be a full show, plus the 305 winged sprint cars.LaSalle Speedway Last Saturday night’s racing program at the LaSalle Speedway was cancelled due to rain. All heat races and consolation events had been run and no rain checks will be honored. The weekly racing program for this Saturday has been cancelled. Next Friday (June 28) the World of Outlaw Sprint Car Series will be making an appearance. Pontiac Route 66 Speedway Pontiac Route 66 Speedway will have another Sunday afternoon of kart racing this week. A large crowd of spectators showed up two weeks ago for the first-ever appearance of the U.S. Lawnmower Racing Association. John Mehn, who competed in a late model at Fairbury several years ago and began racing in karts, has returned to the kart ranks and has racked up two wins in the stock medium class. Michael Ledford, son of Jay and Chrissy Ledford, and Isabella Crego, daughter of Bobby and Tonya Crego compete in the Junior 1 class. Carrie Klopp, wife of Jason Kloop, and Tonya Crego, run in the Stock Medium class. Gates will open at 10:30 a.m., practice starts at noon and racing begins at 1 p.m. Spectator admission is free, but a donation box has been placed to help with the cost of maintaining the track